Reading the Classics discussion

I am currently readingThe Name of the Rose...i am loving it..

I'm reading Anna Karenina...a very long one.

Kary wrote: "I'm reading Anna Karenina...a very long one."

Hah, tell me about it! Just started "Les Miserables" today, good luck with Tolstoy! ^^

i'm reading Million Dollar Agent: Brokering the Dreamit's great!

Ginny wrote: "Alana wrote: "I just finished Mockingjay. Wow. They call this a children's series?"

I know. I've read the series because of my daughters(both in high school).My two girls were responsible for a bo..."

I'm not saying they are bad or not worth reading, but I certainly would be very careful of the ages of my children and their emotional stability before letting them embark on that journey.

Alana wrote: "Kelly wrote: "I tend to be reading a few books at once to review for my blog, 1776books.net. I just finished the Hunger Games trilogy (I think I may have been the only one on the planet who hasn't..."

Add me to the list of people who haven't read The Hunger Games yet!!!!

I'm currently reading It's lovely. It's set in 1910. It's about an English orphan that moves to live on the Amazon. I'm really enjoying it so far.

Dolores, it's worth the read, but just be forewarned. I'm one of those people that hates reading something that gets tons of hype until it's getting SO much hype that I just have to see what all the fuss is about. Sometimes it works out (Harry Potter, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Help, etc) and sometimes it doesn't (Twilight saga.... I know, I know, I'm a hater, but that's my personal opinion). As long as it isn't bad writing and I get something out of it, it's fine. If I feel like it's just fluff for no good reason other than selling as many copies as possible, then I have a hard time with it. All depends on your genres and interests, though. I mostly wanted to read The Hunger Games because the movie look interesting and I'd heard that you kind of needed to have read the whole set to really appreciate the movie.

I'm reading Anthony Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time: 3rd Movement Really, really long, but somehow holding my attention. Only one more movement to go!

I'm reading Monkeewrench and listening to Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Enjoying both but I think I have 800 discs left to go on JS. (very long book)

Phil wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Ok so I just finished Slaughterhouse Five and I have to say I am confused. I'm not exactly sure what to take from it and don't know if I got much out of it other than the war being..."

That's interesting! The war parts were actually where I got the most out of the book. I think what I am having trouble with is most of the other aspects of the book. Is it trying to say how the war had such a big impact on him that he is essentially going "crazy?"

I'm reading The Furies by John Jakes and I am loving it! Has anyone else read this great book?

I am reading three books at the moment: Shantaram I haven't finished yet, but already from page one this is a real page turner.
I have also started on
Complete Works of William Shakespeare. This will take me a while to finish, but I find it interesting and I love the old English style & language!
To boost my self esteem I read Mera Självkänsla. I recommend these books to all of you who struggle with low self esteem!

I'm starting Little Women tonight. I'm so excited!! How have I not read this book already? Especially since I watch the movie, monthly! I just can't get enough.

I'm starting Catch-22 tonight. It's not what I usually read. I'm trying to vary the genres I read, so I decided to give it a go. It's very long, so wish me luck! :)

Helen wrote: "I'm starting Catch-22 tonight. It's not what I usually read. I'm trying to vary the genres I read, so I decided to give it a go. It's very long, so wish me luck! :)"

Helen, that is one of my favorite books! I hope that you will stick with it until the very last page.

I just started The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and I'm hearing some seriously mixed reviews.

Helen wrote: "I'm starting Catch-22 tonight. It's not what I usually read. I'm trying to vary the genres I read, so I decided to give it a go. It's very long, so wish me luck! :)"

Up to about halfway through you might find it confusing - it's not written in chronological order and you have to start piecing the action together as you get nuggets of information - plus, from chapter 39 ("The Eternal City") the book changes tone and direction. The knockabout humour changes to a desparing and disbelieving absurdism. Stick with it - it's an amazing book and one that I'd put into the top ten novels written in the 20th century (and that's despite it being a bestseller).

I've finished reading by Stolen: A Letter to My Captor Lucy Christopher and now I'm a few chapters into Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith.

I have nothing to do at home so I'm currently reading Anne Frank: The Diary of a young girl(definitive edition), Cold Mountain, Portland Vase, Homeboy, Ten Modern Masters.......

Emily wrote: "I just started The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and I'm hearing some seriously mixed reviews."

I really enjoyed that book. Loved Christopher Boone as a narrator.

I'm finishing up David Copperfield and have really enjoyed it. Dickens was such a master. Love the Mr. Micawber character and his proclivity for "pecuniary troubles" and overwrought dialogue.

I was particularly struck by the scene at the very end of "A Loss." Very strong writing there.

I think Dickens has drummed into my head that "There can be no disparity in marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose."

I got started on Where We Belong finally. Interesting so far.

I'm reading some 14th Century Chaucer's "Wife of Bath prologue", from The Canterbury Tales (i'm reading Fragment III if anyone's interested). I had to study this for A level English literature when I was 17 - but I hadn't appreciated then just how hilariously rude it is, I'm now 44 so some things are just wasted on the very young.

Just finished The Lifeboat and started The Cellist of Sarajevo.

Ruth wrote: "Just finished The Lifeboat and started The Cellist of Sarajevo."

Ruth, I loved The Cellist of Sarajevo which came out a few years ago. It was a very moving story. Also I have The Lifeboat on my To-Read list; what did you think?

I liked it. Probably not something I would reread but it held my interest and it was a fast read. Let me know what you think of it and the main character Grace?

I've finished reading Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith this morning. I try to read at least one classic per month so this month I've decided to read The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper.

Bhawya wrote: "I am currently readingThe Name of the Rose...i am loving it.."

One of the books that I could not finish. Maybe, it is because of the translation. I don't know. I'm reading the now and I like it. I suggest, if you love Umberto Eco. :)

Deni wrote: "I'm starting Little Women tonight. I'm so excited!! How have I not read this book already? Especially since I watch the movie, monthly! I just can't get enough."

Oh Deni I love that book! Since you obviously love the story, I highly recommend listening to the Broadway recording - it has some really beautiful songs.

Deni wrote: "I'm starting Little Women tonight. I'm so excited!! How have I not read this book already? Especially since I watch the movie, monthly! I just can't get enough."

I'm also starting today! And then I'm reading a couple stories out of each day. To get me back in the mindset for school at the end of the month, I'm also reading . It's massive and just loading with history and facts. I'm absolutely fascinated by the Mediterranean region.

Just finished The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë. Downloaded the eBook from Goodreads for free. It was an amazing read, positively unputdownable!

i just finished the crucible by arthur miller

Right now I am reading Anna Kareina and I have gotta say it started off a little slow but I am falling in love with this novel.I find it very refreshing and a very interesting read.

im reading les miserables,and just finished a most wanted man by john le carre!

Started readig The Old Man and the Sea, and I was hoping to finish it tonight, but that's not going to happen.

I started reading Anna Karenina by way of www.dailylit.com (which is brilliant, by the way!) I'm also in the middle of the M.C. Beaton Agatha Raisin series, as well as Fair Weather. I'm really impressed with Fair Weather. There doesn't seem to be a lot of fuss about the author Barbara Gaskell Denvil, but the writing is well done, and the story is really good. She's written a few other books, which I've already bought and now looking forward to reading.

Chris wrote: "Kary wrote: "I'm reading Anna Karenina...a very long one."

Hah, tell me about it! Just started "Les Miserables" today, good luck with Tolstoy! ^^"

Anna Karenina is one of my all time favorites. Its definitely worth the time it takes to read. :)

I just started Les Miserables as well. Im having trouble keeping myself interested in it...I'm about 100 pages in so far, and it just isn't holding my interest. Im going to keep going with it though, and hope it picks up. Its such a HUGE book, I'm assuming that it takes quite a few pages to get to anything exciting.

Just finished Life of Pi and am moving on to Defending Jacob.

Kathy F wrote: "Just finished Life of Pi and am moving on to Defending Jacob."

Oooh. Life of Pi. That one stayed with me for a long time.

I'm trying to get a headstart on Anna Karenina for the next Group Read. It's long (for me) but I think I'll stick with it.

I'm nearly done with Gone Girl and started Defending Jacob and have 1984 on in the car (almost done with that one too). Moving on to A Land More Kind Than Home: A Novel and The Chaperone after that, then The Poisonwood Bible. Plus Finding Everett Ruess: The Life and Unsolved Disappearance of a Legendary Wilderness Explorer from my First Reads stack. Done with AK so just going to enjoy the discussions for that one this month.

I am about to start a new book for the " reading the classics" . I am torn between Anna Karenina or 1984. Two totally different books! Besides the "eny meenie minie moe" method. Help! :)

I've read both and liked each of them. I believe 1984 is the shorter of the two. I remember reading it went a lot faster than Anna Karenina. However, I read 1984 in high school and Anna Karenina as a single mom of two teenage daughters...not sure how helpful I'm being. I do like eenie meenie minie moe : )

Julie wrote: "I am about to start a new book for the " reading the classics" . I am torn between Anna Karenina or 1984. Two totally different books! Besides the "eny meenie minie moe" method. Help! :)"

Well, you do have 2 months to read Anna Karenina, so you could possibly read both of these books in that time period. Just a suggestion.

Just started Terry Pratchett's "The Colour of Magic" for something completely different to Anna Karenina.

I just started The Longest Journey.

I'm reading Rich Dad Poor Dad, Rich Dad Poor Dad cash flow quadrant and RDPD Guide to Investing again. Very, very informative. Light bulb moments as I read these books again. Interesting what he wrote in the late 90's early 2000's about what would happen to the US (in particular) in 2010.

I'm reading , Errol Flynn's autobiography. He unashamedly admits it's highly embellished (I think even that is an understatement), but he is an intelligent writer and the story reads just as you expect it might. Really enjoying it!

I just started reading to my girls. I was a bit worried it would be too old for them (they're 8 & 4) but we talked about the first chapter after we read it and they seem to understand. I think we're really going to enjoy reading this together! I'm also reading and loving it! I'm sure I was Margaret March in a past life!